Yes, I dearly love Arsenal but there is also just something about London. It’s a beautiful city with rich history and tons of things to do, see, experience. I get excited when I am lucky enough to get a ticket to a match, but part of that excitement is knowing I’m going to spend time in this city I loved at first sight. Never has that love abated. In fact, it’s just increased over time. It’s true that sometimes when I’ve booked flights I’ve had no idea how I’ll would spend my non-match time. But something cool always comes to the fore.
Pre-Gaming
I find that thinking about going on a trip extends the joy of going on the trip.
One of the things I’ve done to enhance those feelings of joy is try to train my social media algorithms to content that suggests obscure London touring options. I follow a few content pages overtly and then because I interact by reading and/or clicking links on Social Media posts that cover London touring and food, many more are served to me. I directly follow a page called Great British Tea Party and A Lady in London and that seems to produce endless London touring content, including from some really good independent contributors.
I also have signed up to receive emails from a few places, including Time Out London. This resource has information on fairs and festivals that may be on during your trip as well as good general information on places of interest in London. You can also access content on their website. I also have signed up to receive emails from Transport for London so that I know whether there may be closures for any train lines that could impact our trip and touring. You can also just visit their website close to your trip.
There are many many sources of touring material on London. Although I haven’t used his content for many years in London, I have recently used content from Rick Steves for other international touring. It’s always excellent. You can start with his website, here.
Planning
My advice for tackling London attractions is to let three things be your guide: 1) your interests, 2) your neighborhood, and 3) your budget. No matter what combination of the three you are faced with, I guarantee you can have a wonderful time.
If you’re a first-time visitor, you might be well-served by visiting the main attractions, represented in lists like this from Time Out London. AI can be particularly useful at compiling lists of must-see attractions you might find of interest and in modifying its suggestions based on your interests and constraints. Many of the most popular attractions may require registration online. It would be a good idea to plan and register a bit in advance, especially if you’re touring during high tourist season in the spring and summer.
I asked Claude for a list of touring ideas for a first-time visitor and it came up with the following list that I think is decently good “must do & see”:
- Tower of London
- Tower Bridge
- Westminster Abbey
- Houses of Parliament and Big Ben
- Buckingham Palace
- British Museum
- St. Paul’s Cathedral
- London Eye
One thing I did that was extremely helpful to me in understanding what might pique my interest: I took a hop-on, hop-off bus tour the first time I stepped foot in London. Yeah, it’s cliche, but sometimes a good overview helps you understand where you want to explore further. Also, there are many walking tours available for free online. We’ve used Footways, among others. Another great way to get an overview.
See my list, far below, of things I’ve done in London. Maybe something there will interest you, too.
When I look at the list, it is kind of overwhelming. One important recommendation I make to anyone who is visiting London. Sometimes the best way to get to know the city is find a cafe or bar or park with a beautiful view and relax and enjoy it while sipping a warm or cold drink.
WholeArsed Touring
My husband and I are both interested in history, literature, and theater, so our travelling involves visiting sites that help us explore those topics. While I would say neither of us especially understands art, art often reflects history and is an extension of our interests and an “area for improvement,” so to speak. In the list of sites we’ve visited, you’ll see a lot of focus on those items. I particularly enjoy being in nature, so that’s also a theme of our travel.
The following are activities we’ve undertaken and places we’ve visited in London:
Museums
| Place | Interests | Cost | Rating |
| British Museum | History, Archeology | Free for most exhibits, donation encouraged; consider booking in advance. Check out in advance any featured exhibits that may require an entrance fee & registration. | Must see |
| Sir John Soane’s Museum | History, Anthropology, Architecture, Art, Biography | Free, donation encouraged; best to book in advance. | Recommended |
| Museum of London | History, Archeology, Industrialization | Free, donation encouraged | Recommended |
| Museum of London Docklands | History, Archeology, Colonialism, Transport | Free, donation encouraged | Recommended |
| Victoria & Albert Museum | Anthropology, Art, Textiles, Furniture, Jewelry | Free, donation encouraged | Recommended |
| V&A East | Anthropology, Art, Textiles, Furniture, Jewelry | Many exhibits free, donation encouraged. Check out in advance any featured exhibits that may require an entrance fee & registration. | Recommended |
| V&A East Storehouse | Anthropology, Art, Textiles, Furniture, Jewelry | Free, donation encouraged | Recommended |
| V&E Storehouse: David Bowie Centre | Music, Creativity, Anthropology, History | Free, donation encouraged | Recommended |
| British Library Treasures exhibit Alice In Wonderland exhibit Don Quixote exhibit Medieval Women exhibit Secret Maps exhibit | History, Literature, Music | “Treasures” exhibit free, donation encouraged; best to book in advance. Check out in advance any featured exhibits that may require an entrance fee & registration. | Highly recommended |
| Charles Dickens Museum | Literature, Biography, Anthropology | £14.00/adult; guided tours available for additional fee. | Recommended |
| Postal Museum | History, Engineering, Anthropology | £20.50/adult; best to book in advance | Recommended |
| London Transport Museum | History, Engineering, Transport, Art, Architecture, Anthropology | Annual pass required. “Off-peak” annual pass is £22.50/adult | Highly recommended |
| Brunel Museum | History, Engineering, Anthropology | £10.00/adult | Recommended |
| Imperial War Museum (London/Lambeth) General Touring War and the Mind The Troubles War Games | History, War, Anthropology | Free, donation encouraged | Highly recommended |
| Churchill War Rooms | History, War, Biography | £34/adult | Highly recommended |
| Bank of England Museum | History, Currency, Architecture | Free, donation encouraged | Recommended |
| Royal Observatory | Navigation, Commerce, Astronomy, Human Ingenuity, History, Science | £24/adult | Highly recommended |
| National Maritime Museum General Touring Samuel Pepys exhibit | Travel, Exploration, Shipping, Navigation, Astronomy, Commerce, History | Free, donation encouraged; best to book in advance. Check out in advance any featured exhibits that may require an entrance fee & registration. | Recommended |
| Somerset House, exhibits Soil, Photo competition Slavery installment | Art & other exhibits | Many exhibits free, best to book in advance. Pop-up ice skating rink over the holidays £11+. | Recommended |
| Natural History Museum | Science, Paleontology, Minerals, Natural Selection, Architecture | Free, donation encouraged. Best to book in advance. | Good |
| Musical Museum of London (Brentford) | Music, especially music boxes | £15.00/adult | Good |
| National Gallery General Touring Siena: The rise of painting 1300-1350 | Art, History | Free, donation encouraged. Fast track tickets for added price. Check out in advance any featured exhibits that may require an entrance fee & registration. | Highly recommended |
| National Portrait Gallery | Portrait Art, History | Free, donation encouraged. Check out in advance any featured exhibits that may require an entrance fee & registration. | Highly recommended |
| Serpentine Gallery (South) Giuseppe Penone, Thoughts in the Roots Tomas Saraceno, Webs of Life | Contemporary Art | Free, donation encouraged | Highly recommended |
| Tate Modern General Touring Helen Chadwick exhibit | Modern Art | Free, donation encouraged. Check out in advance any featured exhibits that may require an entrance fee & registration. | Highly recommended |
| Museum of Freemasonry | Freemasonry, Industrialization, Societies | Free, donation encouraged | Good |
| Banksy Limitless | Banksy, Graffiti Art, Immersive Experiences | £20/adult | Recommended |
Attractions
| Place | Interests | Cost | Rating |
| Toot Bus Hop-on, hop-off tours | London, History, Architecture, Attractions | £25/adult | Recommended |
| Tower of London | History, Monarchy, Architecture, Anthropology, Jewelry | £38.00/adult, best to book in advance online. Additional experiences may be purchased and added on. | Must see |
| Tower Bridge | Architecture, Transport, Views of the London | Free to view and walk across; can go inside for a fee (we have not gone inside) | Must see |
| London Bridge | Architecture, Transport, Views of the London | Free to view and walk across | Must see |
| Trafalgar Square | History, Art, Architecture | Free | Must see |
| Houses of Parliament & Big Ben | Architecture, Views of London | Free to view. You can go inside Big Ben for £55.00/adult (we have not done so) | Must see |
| Royal Albert Hall tour/concerts | Music, Architecture, History | Tours are £20.00/adult; concerts depend on artist. We’ve taken a tour and been to a program for BBC Proms 2025. Book in advance online. | Highly recommended |
| London Eye | London Views | £29/adult when booked online. | Recommended |
| Sky Garden | London Views | Free; must book in advance | Recommended |
| Monument Tower (monument to great fire) | London Views, History | £7/adult | Highly recommended |
| Hidden London Tours (tours of old Tube stations via Transport Museum) | London, Transport, History, Architecture, Engineering | £47/adult, book in advance | Recommended |
| Shakespeare’s Globe tours | Literature, Biography, Architecture, History | £28.00/adult, book in advance | Highly recommended |
| Cutty Sark | Shipping, Ship Design/Building, History, Tea Trade | £22/adult | Recommended |
| Gunpowder Plot Experience | History, Monarchy, Biography, Immersive Theater, Virtual Reality | £27/ adult online (but no longer in London) | Good |
| Frameless | Immersive Art, Music | £22/adult | Recommended |
| David Bowie: You’re Not Alone at Lightroom | Immersive Biography, Music, Creative Process | £28/adult online, book in advance | Highly recommended |
| Covent Garden | Markets, Shopping, Restaurants | Free (unless you give in and buy something) | Highly recommended |
| Royal Ballet and Opera House guided tour | Theatre, Ballet, Opera, Music, Set Design, Costuming | £23/adult | Recommended |
| Neal’s Yard | Quirky Neighborhoods, Shopping, Restaurants | Free to walk through | Highly recommended |
| Camden Market | Markets, Quirky Shopping, Quirky Neighborhoods | Free to walk through | Highly Recommended |
| Spitalfields Market | Markets, Quirky Shopping, Clothing, Artwork, Household Goods, Jewelry, Food | Free to walk through | Recommended |
| Leadenhall Market | Harry Potter Inspiration, Shopping, Food, Pubs, Architecture, History | Free to walk through | Highly recommended |
| Seven Dials Market | Markets, Food, Goods | Free to walk through | Recommended |
| Harrods | Luxury Shopping, Food, Gifts | Free to walk through | Recommended |
| Columbia Road Flower Market | Markets, Flowers, Plants, Food | Free to walk through | Recommended |
| Lower Marsh Market | Markets, Food, Shopping | Free to walk through | Recommended |
| Battersea Power Station | Shopping, Refurbished Industrial Architecture, Food | Free to walk through, frequent free events onsite | Recommended |
| Painted Hall | Baroque, Religious Art, History | £19.00/adult for a tour (we happened to visit on a day for which there was no charge) | Good (I’m hesitating to recommend at the price and considering other options) |
| Jack the Ripper walking tour | History, Biography, Anthropology | £20/adult | Highly Recommended |
| Leake Street Arches graffiti tunnel | Graffiti, Modern Art | Free | Highly Recommended |
| Emirates Stadium tour and Museum | Arsenal, Football, Sport | $43/adult | Must see (if you’re an Arsenal fan) |
| Highbury Square (old Arsenal stadium turned into housing complex) | Arsenal, Football, Sport, History, Art Deco Architecture | Free | Must see (if you’re an Arsenal fan) |
| God’s Own Junkyard | Neon Art, Cafe | Free | Good |
| Swanboat on River Lea | Recreation, Boating | £9/adult | Meh. Canoes, kayaks, and paddle board (which are available) probably better for adults |
| Millenium Bridge | London Views | Free to walk across | Must see |
| Shoreditch street art | Graffiti, Modern Art, Recreation | Free | Highly recommended |
| Craven Cottage (Championship game between Fulham and Bristol City) | Football, Fulham, Sport, History | Varies; may be difficult to attend matches at Fulham now that they’re back in the Premier League without advance planning | Recommended |
| Wembley Stadium (Women’s FA Cup final between Arsenal and Chelsea) | Football, Sport, Historic Stadiums | £35/adult | Highly recommended; suspect it would be a great place to take a tour |
| The New Den (Millwall) (Championship game between Millwall and Coventry City) | Championship Football, Sport | £25 – £45/adult | Recommended |
| Ghost stories for Christmas at Charlton House | Stories, Performance, History, Anthropology, Historical Buildings | £14/adult | Recommended |
| Isle of Dogs foot tunnel | Recreation, Tunnel | Free | Recommended |
| Barbican Centre “feel the Sound” exhibit | Music, Sound, Science, Immersive Experiences | £9/adult | Recommended |
| Billingsgate Roman House and Baths tour | History, Architecture, Anthropology | £15/adult; make reservations in advance online | Highly Recommended |
| Royal Institution lecture series Chemistry in Forensics | Science | Varies | I did not stay awake long enough to rate it; the audience seemed deeply engaged |
| St. Katherine Docks | Water, Fancy Boats, Restaurants | Free to walk through | Recommended |
| Billingsgate Fish Market | Fish Galore | Free to walk through | Meh |
| Freemason Arms Pub (birth place of football and rugby) | Football/Soccer, Rugby, Pubs | Free to walk through, but you should buy a pint | Recommended |
Cathedrals & Historic Buildings
| Place | Interests | Costs | Rating |
| Buckingham Palace (exterior)/Changing of the Guard | Monarchy, History, Architecture, Tradition | Free; see schedule for changing of the guard and arrive early | Must see |
| Hampton Court Palace | Monarchy, History, Biography, Henry VIII | £30.00/adult | Highly Recommended |
| Eltham Palace and gardens | Anthropology, History, Gardens | £16/adult | Recommended |
| Kensington Palace (exterior) | Architecture, Monarchy | Free to view exterior (as we did); special exhibits available for a fee | Highly recommended |
| Westminster Abbey tour, service | History, Religion, Biography, Monarchy, Anthropology, Art, Sacred Artifacts, Worship | £32/adult for tour (Also attended a Christmas eve service for free & donation) | Must see (Audio guide is highly recommended) |
| Westminster cathedral Evensong service | Music, Religion, Worship, Architecture | Free, donation encouraged | Highly recommended |
| St. Paul’s Cathedral: tour, services (including Evensong) | Music, Architecture, History, Worship, Religion, Art | £27/adult for tour, Free with donation encouraged for attending worship services | Highly recommended |
| St. Martin-in-the-Fields (concert) | Music, Religious Spaces | £25/adult | Recommended |
| St. Lawrence Jewry recital series | Music, Religious Spaces | Free, donation encouraged | Recommended |
| Southwark Cathedral (attended a church service here) | Music, Architecture, History, Worship, Religion, Art | Free, donation encouraged. Tours are offered on limited dates during the year. | Recommended |
| St. Olave Church recital series | Music, Religious Spaces | Free, donation encouraged | Recommended |
| All Hallows by-the-Tower (tour) | Music, Architecture, History, Worship, Religion, Art, Roman Occupation | Free, donation encouraged | Highly recommended |
Parks & Gardens
| Place | Interests | Cost | Ratings |
| Kew Gardens | Flowers, Plants, Trees, Bees | £25/adult online (different entrance fees per season) | Highly recommended |
| Hampstead Heath | Fields, Views, Flowers, Plants, Swimming | Free | Highly recommended |
| Richmond Park/Isabella Plantation | Fields, Views, Forests, Flowers, Plants, Deer | Free | Highly recommended |
| Hyde Park | Fields, Trees, Plants, Flowers, Speaker’s Corner, Ponds | Free | Highly recommended |
| St. James Park | Fields, Trees, Gardens | Free | Recommended |
| Victoria Embankment Gardens | Gardens, Lawns, Trees next to Gordon’s Wine Bar | Free | Recommended |
| Lincoln’s Inn Fields | Garden | Free | Recommended |
| St. Dunstan in the East garden | Garden, Church Ruins | Free | Recommended |
| Kyoto Garden/Holland Park | Japanese Garden, Dutch Garden, Fields, Flowers, Trees, Water Features | Free | Recommended |
| Superbloom at Tower of London | Wild Flowers | Free from sidewalks above the Tower of London | Highly recommended |
| William II’s privy garden | Shrubs, Flowers, Plants | Included in price of visiting Hampton Court | Recommended |
| Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park | Olympics, Sports, Gardens | Free | Highly recommended |
| Bishops Park | Thames, Grass, Trees, Gardens | Free | Recommended |
| Gillespie Park | Wildlife Reserve, Ponds, Woods, Fields | Free | Recommended |
| WWT London Wetland Centre | Wetlands, Birds, Wildlife, Flowers, Plants, Science | £20/adult | Recommended |
| Greenwich Park | London Views, Fields | Free | Recommended |
| Kensington Gardens | Fountains, Flowers, Trees, Fields, Albert Memorial, Pools | Free | Recommended |
| Finsbury Circus Gardens | Gardens, Plants, Flowers, Trees | Free | Recommended |
| Trinity Square Gardens | Gardens, Plants, Flowers | Free | Meh |
Theatre
| Theatre/Show | Interests | Cost | Rating |
| Shakespeare’s Globe – A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Much Ado About Nothing – The Merry Wives of Windsor – Ghosts (Wannamaker Theatre) | Shakespeare, Theatre | £5-10 for groundling (standing), which is the best experience, in my opinion. £28-88/adult for seats. | Highly recommended |
| West End Musicals – The Devil Wears Prada – Six – Life of Pi – Evita (saw the free balcony scene outside, not the full play) | Musical Theatre | £45 – $270+/adult | Recommended |
| Baron’s Court Theatre – The Full English | Independent Theatre, Quirky Productions | £10 – £15/adult | Recommended |
| Other West End – The Play That Goes Wrong – The Spy Who Came In From The Cold – Travesties | Theatre | £20 – £85+/ adult | Did not enjoy The Play That Goes Wrong, but recommend the others |
| Theatre Royal Stratford East – Abigail’s Party | Theatre | £12 to £29/adult | Recommended |
| National Theatre Dear England | Theatre, Football/Soccer History & Culture | £20 to £89/adult | Highly recommended |
Festivals & Seasonal Markets
| Festival | Interests | Cost | Rating |
| Chelsea in Bloom | Floral Displays, Creativity | Free | Highly recommended |
| IWA Canalway Cavalcade | Boats, Waterways, Water Culture | Free, donation encouraged | Recommended |
| Sicily Fest | Sicilian Culture, Food | £6/adult | Recommended |
| Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition | Art, Photography, Creativity, Cultures | £18/adult | Recommended |
| BBC Proms Andreas Schiff, The Art of Fugue | Music, Royal Albert Hall | £12 to £180+/adult for single concert | Highly Recommended |
| Totally Thames Mudlarking Exhibition Sliding Slope play Resurgam vertical dance from St. Paul’s Cathedral | Thames, History, River Culture, Ecology, Performing Arts | Free, donation encouraged | Highly Recommended |
| Greenwich & Docklands International Festival | Outdoor Theatre, Performing Arts, Acrobatics | Free, donation encouraged | Highly Recommended |
| Trafalgar Square Christmas Market & carols at the tree | Markets, Festive Cheer, Carols, Food, Shopping | Free | Recommended |
| Southbank Centre Winter Market | Markets, Festive Cheer, Food, Shopping | Free | Recommended |
| Battersea Power Station Light Festival | Light Display, Cool Refurbished Industrial Site | Free | I can’t really recommend the light display, but the Power station and refurbishment to a Mall are pretty spectacular |
